Electronic devices, like other types of products, require testing at various times in their production cycle, under various operational conditions. Typically, such devices require extensive testing for efficacy, suitability, and longevity during research and development. All of this, of course, is accomplished before the products are mass produced for the marketplace. Subsequently, additional random testing of product samples is often required for purposes of quality assurance after full scale production has begun. Thus, throughout the entire life of a product, it is frequently tested in a variety of environments, and challenged in a variety of ways for various functional purposes.
There are, of course, many variables which need to be tested in order to ensure that a final product is suitable for its particular purpose. One very important variable in this regard is temperature. In the particular case of electronic devices such as integrated circuits, it is important to know the exact range of temperatures over which the device is operable. It happens that both extremely high temperatures and extremely low temperatures, can have adverse effects on electronic devices. Many electronic devices, however, are expected to work in very high temperature environments. Accordingly, they are designed to withstand temperatures which may be as high as three hundred and fifty degrees Celsius (350.degree. C.). For reasons stated above, these devices need to be tested under these conditions.
In order to adequately test the operation of an electronic device in an extremely high temperature environment, it is necessary to simulate such an environment. The various test units which may be required to test an electronic device in such an environment may not, however, be able to operate in the environment. A major consideration here stems from the fact that test units are normally designed to operate at lower temperature and test a variety of different types of devices which may, or may not, operate in a lower temperature environment. Thus, the materials which are used in the manufacture of the test equipment can be limiting. For example, common materials used in test units, such as most solders and plastic insulations, are unsuitable and can not be used at extremely high temperatures. A consequence of this is that, although the device under test must be in the high temperature environment, the test unit must be in a different and separate lower temperature environment.
In light of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for connecting an electronic device with a test unit which is operationally effective for testing the device in extremely high temperature environments, e.g., temperatures as high as three hundred and fifty degrees Celsius (350.degree. C.), while the test unit is located in a much lower temperature environment. Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for connecting an electronic device with a test unit which is adaptable for testing integrated circuits having different dimensions. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for connecting an electronic device with a test unit which is robust and which uses replaceable components. Still another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for connecting an electronic device with a test unit which is extremely easy to use, relatively simple to manufacture and comparatively cost effective.